Senior Research Lawyer

November 5, 2015

The Senior Research Lawyer, for the North American Regional Compensation & Employment Law Toronto Practice Group (the ‘Group’) manages and executes key content projects and knowledge initiatives with and for the Group. The Canadian practice advises on labour law, employment law, pension and benefits, data privacy, immigration, administrative and regulatory law.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Research Lawyer’s full-time responsibilities will include among others:

Technical Know How / Current Awareness

• Create, maintain and update collections of work product and knowhow of the Group (precedents and other legal documents, articles, brochures, presentations, training materials and other content), and make relevant knowhow available to lawyers through the global knowhow system, and by other means.
• Ensure in particular that any ‘precedent gaps’ identified for the Group are closed as a matter of priority.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current developments relevant to the Group and prepare update summaries for internal distribution, as well as client alerts where appropriate.
• Work with Business Development staff to collect and disseminate relevant market intelligence to the practitioners.
• Assist in developing and preparing training materials, as well as conducting training (including webinars and other internet-based solutions) on recent developments relevant to the Group’s lawyers and, where appropriate, the Group’s clients.
• Respond to queries from lawyers on substantive issues and be available to act as a ‘sounding board’ – whether to give direction at the early stages of research or to debate/provide a second opinion on a colleague’s tentative conclusions.

Support Thought Leadership and Business Development initiatives

• Respond to projects that involve or generate applicable thought leadership, including writing of client-focused memos on Employment law issues. Seek opportunities to initiate such projects where possible.
• Stay abreast of ‘hot topics’ and trends relevant to the Group, and work with the regional Business Development team to identify opportunities for client alerts or the development of client facing webinar or seminar series.
• Lead our efforts to find innovative ways of using our knowhow to add value to our key client relationships, by providing the Group with timely material to facilitate frequent interaction with clients with a view to helping clients ‘see around corners’.
• Coordinate publications by lawyers of the Group and liaise with authors and relevant marketers to optimize benefits for the Group. In some instances, serve as editor, writer and/or researcher of the Group’s publications.
• Undertake legal and industry research as required.

Support the development and implementation of the Group’s Business Plan

• Participate in the preparation of the Group’s Business Plan, with particular responsibility for Knowledge Management. Implement action items in the Group’s Business Plan relating to improving or maintaining the quality of services provided by the Group.
• Action and implement Senior Research Lawyer and Knowledge Management related responsibilities as required in the Group’s Business Plan.
• Work closely with the North American Compensation and Employment Law Management Committee and Business Development staff, maintain strong relationships with lawyers in the Group to ascertain and monitor knowledge needs and priorities.
• Work within, and support, the Firm’s Knowledge Management culture more widely
• Coordinate with others on Global Knowledge Management projects and initiatives as and when appropriate.
• Work closely with other members of the Group’s support team, regional and global staff to facilitate knowledge sharing and provide legal knowhow support as may be needed.
• Liaise with other Senior Research Lawyer’s in the region, sharing best practice with them and learning from them, and work to ensure alignment with the global Knowledge Management strategy.
• Help establish a ‘knowledge-sharing culture’ within the Group through focused communications to publicize the benefits of Knowledge Management.
• Recommend guidelines, policies and procedures regarding the use of knowledge tools and help promote Knowledge Management best practices within the Group.

Qualifications / Experience Required

• Law degree
• Current license to practice law (or eligibility for one) and eligible to work in Canada
• At least 6 years’ post qualification experience as a practicing lawyer, including at least 3 years in a Labour and Employment practice.

Technical and Personal Skills

• In-depth knowledge of substantive labour law, employment law, and administrative and regulatory law;
• Working knowledge of substantive pension and benefits law and data privacy.
• Demonstrates ability to draft standard generic legal precedents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong reporting skills.
• Strong judgment and ability to make well-reasoned independent decisions.
• Self-motivated and independent.
• Consistently produces quality work.
• Team Player who works well in a virtual team setting.
• Assists with urgent work outside standard hours.
• Willingness to travel to key meetings of the Group, if requested.
• Leverages available resources.
• Able to work under pressure and remain focused.
• Ability to interact and inspire confidence in partners, other timekeepers and clients.
• Keeps key stakeholders informed of progress.
• Organized, detail orientated individual with good project management skills.
• Ability to set clear goals and to take full responsibility for achieving them.
• Deals with sensitive information in an appropriate manner.
• Contributes to the effective functioning of the team.
• Works effectively with others outside formal line of authority to accomplish organizational goals.
• Sought by others for advice and support; sets an example.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Research Lawyer position will be part of the Global Knowledge Management team structure, reporting into the Senior Global Labour, Employment & Employee Benefits Group, Professional Support Lawyer and an employee Baker & McKenzie LLP, an Ontario LLP, working under the day-to-day management and supervision of the Toronto Compensation & Employment Law Practice Group Leader as representative of the North American Compensation & Employment Law Practice Group Management Committee.

The Senior Research Lawyer works within the entire North American Regional Compensation & Employment Law Practice Group Knowledge Team, as well across teams from Compensation & Employment Law Practice Group Business Development, and Talent Management to ensure that knowledge projects and initiatives are carried out consistently with the Firm’s overall business objectives and the knowledge strategy.

Applications should be sent by email to:

Bernice Durdin

Human Resources Manager

Brookfield Place, Bay/Wellington Tower, 181 Bay Street, Suite 2100

Toronto, Ontario, Canada  M5J 2T3

Bernice.Durdin@bakermckenzie.com